Protecting device for telephone transmitters



June 7, 1938.

M. RUBEL 2,120,043

PROTECTING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS- Filed Jan. 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheetl w s m m m w June 7, 1938. M. RUBEL finomcnue DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS Filed Jan. 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 7, 1938 PATENT OFFlCE PROTECTING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE TRANSM'ITTERS Maurice Rubel, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 11, 1935, Serial No. 1,392

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a protecting device for the transmitter of a telephone and the like, and more particularly to a device for feeding a long strip of paper before the mouth of the transmitter upon repeated manipulations.

A considerable number of caps and other protecting devices for the transmitter of a telephone have been devised to prevent the spread of disease through the use of public telephones; however, as far as I am aware, no device has been found acceptable or satisfactory. The difficulty of dispensing caps or short strips of paper and the accumulation of waste caps etc. after use have made such plans undesirable.

An object of my invention is to provide means whereby a fresh strip of paper can be fed with a modicum of effort into position bridging the transmitter mouth, and means for compactly storing the waste strip until a time when it may be conveniently disposed of. A further object is to provide means for preventing waste of the paper during the time that the telephone is being used. A still further object is to provide automatic means for feeding fresh paper areas each time the telephone is used. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a, front view in elevation of a telephone transmitter equipped with a device embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a side view in elevation; Fig. 3, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, an end view of the lower cylindrical casing, the cap being removed, the view being indicated by the line 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 4 of the opposite end of the cylindrical casing, the view being taken at line 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a transverse sectional view of my device, the section being taken as .indicated at line 6 of Fig. 2; and Fig. '7, a side view in elevation of a modified form of the invention in which paper is fed automatically upon movement of the receiver hook, the end cap of the lower cylindrical casing being removed.

In the illustration given, A designates the telephone stand equipped with a receiver hook A; B, a receiver; and C, the transmitter. In view of the fact that such construction is well known, a detailed description is believed unnecessary.

My attachment mechanism comprises a rear metal wall III which is centrally perforated to receive the rear end of the mouthpiece II; that is, the mouthpiece II is first removed and then after being passed through the central apertured plate II], is screwed within the drum casing I 2. Secured to the rear side of plate In is an annular socket I3 adapted to receive the drum I2. Screws I4 are passed through the socket member I3 and engage the drum casing I2 to secure the attachment rigidly to the drum casing. Soldered to the ends of plate 'IIJ are the upper cylindrical casing I5 and the lower cylindrical casing IS. The casings are provided with caps I5 and I6 respectively. Casing I5 is provided with a slot H which runs to the extreme open end of the casing, and likewise casing I6 is provided with a slot I8 which runs to its extreme open end. Thus, when the caps I5 and IIi are removed, the slots I1 and I8 permit the rolls of paper inside to be removed with a web of paper connecting, the rolls. Connecting the casings I5 and'llfi is a metal platen member I9 having its sides turned inwardly'to provide U-shaped guides 25 receiving the edges of the paper. The platen is provided with openings 2| in its central portion and adjacent! the mouth II' of. the transmitter. I I

The upper cylindrical casin I5 receives a. simme roll 22 containing paper 23. The roll or spool 22 is provided'with sides 23. from the upper spool 22 passes through the slot I! over the platen I9 and is attached to a lower spool 24, which is equipped at one end with an operating wing or thumb button 25. The lower spool 24 is preferably equipped with an inclined spring stop member 26 which is adapted to engage a fixed abutment 21, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, to prevent the spool from being turned in an unwinding direction.

It will be observed that the winding handle 25 is disposed on the same side of the telephone stand as the receiver B. Thus, when the telephone is being used, the user of the telephone having the receiver grasped in his left hand, is unable to reach and manipulate the handle 25. This prevents the user from wantonly operating the mechanism to use up the paper supply. In view of the fact that the paper roll may contain advertisements, there would doubtless be a tendency for the user of the telephone to wind up the bottom roll while telephoning, if this could'be done conveniently.

If desired, additional means may be provided for preventing the user of the telephone from winding the bottom roll. As illustrated more clearly in Fig. 5, the inner end of the spool roll may be equipped with a ratchet gear 28. A

The paper pawl 29 is urged into engagement with the gear 28 by a spring-pressed pin '30. The pawl 29 is r 7 provided with acurved portion extending about" the gear'28 and with a vertical stem extending through casing I6 and provided with a push button' 3|. With this construction, it is necessary for-the: operator to depress thebutton 3| with one hand in order to operate the winding piece Y 25 with .the other.

' If desired, .the'bottom -of'casingIGfmay be provided with'a highly emcaciqusidisinfectant, and a continuous web might be looped about the spools 7 Hand 24.

In the modification illustratedin ig; v, the

:,Iphone sta'nd and supports the abutment 33 to which is, pivoted the lever arm 34. The lever ar'm-34:is provided with a short arm .35. adapted to belengagedby. the receiver hoolgA when .the V r While in the foregoing description,Ihave-set receiveris placedflthereon.iand...allowed to fall. Thedownwardmovementof.thereceiver hook.de

presses the arrn35 andelevatesthe long 'arm v36 of .lever 34.. Pivotally connected'to. the endof the arm 36. isxa rack .31 which engagesthe gear sleeve. 38; The rack teeth are held in engagementwith gear sleeve 38 by a grooved roller '39,

which. engages the reariof rack '31; Theshaft of the .'-spool carrying thepaper is provided with a curved or camend 10,- as shown more clearly .in

Fig; 7. The configuration of the end. afiords. chambers between itandtheigear sleeve'f38 .adaptd to receive balls I l. .fThe' chambers arefshaped, as in a free wheeling .clntch, so'that when the rack :31 moves'upwardlygthe balls II .are forced the gear .sleeve 38 overruns.

towardthe narrow end .of the chambers and. thus engage the shaft endlll to 'rotatethe; shaft. .On the downward stroke .of the-rack, the balls I I .are drawn toward thev large end .oithefchamber, .and

, It will .thus beobserved that whneverthe .re

tary 'movement of the spoolshafti .40. so as to draw. a freshjpaper areaacross the .platenfl9.

.JIn'the operationof the mechanismshownin Figs. :1 to 6. inclusive,.the rolls 1.5 and [6 may be loaded by removing the caps-I5 1 and I6, ate

' gtachingthe end of the paper carried by spool '26- r to spool 24, and. placing each'of-the (spools w ithin its respective cylindrical casing. The paper connecting the two .spoolsslips through. the. slots I! and I8 of therespectivecasings, and the edges of the paper are received within the guides 20 of platen l9. In inserting the lower spool '24,, within the casing I6, the operator depresses button 3] so as'to depress the pawl 29 until the ratchet 28 is in alignment therewith. 'The caps l5 'and lfi may then be placed in position and reaches the telephone, he first depresses the button 3lfand, operates'the handlel25 to, draw a fresh area ofpaper across th'e'platen. He then grasps receiver-B and operates the telephone in the usual manner. r r

. the device isready for'operation. When auser If desired, a block or pack of paper sheets might .;be substituted for the roll, the user tearing off the used sheet before telephoning.

Directions'astothe use of the telephone may -'be placed upon the upper cylindrical casing l5, 7 or uponany other suitable part of the attachment, If desired, the paper o-n the spools may be covered with advertisements which will disupon the'pap'er fastened'overthe platen;

appended claims should be construed as broa dly V as permissible, iniview of the prior art.

I claim: Y

7 1. In combination, with the transmitter of a telephone, a casingsecured to said transrnitter, a paper roll supportedin said casing,z ma'nually p-f eratd means for drawing paper from saidiroll in front of said transmitter, and latch meansllre straining operation of .said ifirst named means .lo-

catedfremotely from saidv first .namedLmeans,

whereby both hands of the operator are required to. operate saidffirst' and second namedmeansf 2. In combination I with the transmitter ,ofja

paper. roll supported in said casing, 'a rotatable roll,.s'aid member having a portion'atwhich's'aid member is adapted to berotated todrawthepa per from. saidroll in front of saidtransmitter, a,

ratchet secured to rotatewithlthe paper 'inits movement, anda latch; cooperating with said telephone, a *casing securfed to said transmitter, a

member o which h I p pe is Wound from said ratchet and restraini-ng'movement of thelatter to prevent. feeding of the paper, said latch being.

located remotely from saidportiomwhereby both hands of the 'operatorare required to operate MAURVVICE Roses. 1

said portion and said latch.

20 couragethe .user, from writingor making notes 

